3 h 37 minAudiobook14 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 3 h 37 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
An empire cracks, sworn friends face divided loyalties, and rival warlords reach for the throne.
The Story of Tang follows the fall of the Sui dynasty and the rise of the Tang. Emperor Yang’s costly projects and wars wear down his people. As his rule weakens, soldiers, outlaws and ambitious lords gather strength. Among them stands Qin Qiong, a loyal soldier pulled by duty, friendship and devotion to his mother.
Young Li Shimin draws gifted men to his side, while his careful father, Li Yuan, weighs each dangerous choice. Rivals such as Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong and Li Mi seek power. Traditionally attributed to Luo Guanzhong, this historical novel brings real figures together with legendary heroes in a sweeping storyteller’s tale of brotherhood, courage and ambition.
What you’ll discover
- Friendship under strain Follow Qin Qiong as duty and sworn bonds pull him toward difficult choices.
- Courage with a grin Meet Cheng Yaojin, whose rough humor and fearless spirit brighten the rebel bands.
- Loyalty above gain Discover Shan Xiongxin, a generous hero who helps others and prizes his sworn friendships.
- A throne worth fighting for Watch rival leaders claim power as Sui rule collapses and the struggle widens.
- The right to rule Explore how the novel uses the mandate of Heaven to question a ruler’s legitimacy.
Who will love it
This is for readers who enjoy sworn brothers, duels on horseback, clever strategists and rival kings, and for anyone curious about how the Tang rose from the ruins of the Sui.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A loyal general falls and his son lives
- Bribes make a prince, and a rescue binds families
- Stranded and penniless, Shubao finds true friends
- A night of lanterns turns into a riot
- A murdered family sends Wu Yunzhao to war
- Bandits become kings and the empire shakes
- Loyalty, sworn brothers and the storyteller's art
Who’s who
- Qin QiongCalled Shubao, a constable with two gold-mounted maces who wants to look after his mother and repay every kindness.
- Cheng YaojinA firewood seller turned bandit and then Demon King of Chaos, loud and funny, who wants a good meal and a title.
- Shan XiongxinThe generous master of Two Worthies Manor, a blue-faced giant who welcomes heroes and shelters Shubao in his worst days.
- Xu MaogongA clever Daoist strategist who plans jailbreaks, ambushes and tricks to bring the right ruler to power.
- Luo ChengShubao's young cousin, a spear fighter and son of a marshal, torn between his father's orders and his family.
- Li ShiminThe Qin Prince, second son of Li Yuan, who needs brave generals and is threatened by his own brothers.
- Yuchi GongA dark-faced blacksmith with two whips who serves his first lord faithfully and then protects the Qin Prince.
- Yang LinThe pale giant with Dragon-Subduing Rods who serves the Sui and tries to force Shubao to become his son.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer, once the book texts are online.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, once the book texts are online.
- Audiobook
- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 14 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
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- Large print paperback
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- Large print hardcover
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The Story of Tang
by Attributed to Luo Guanzhong
A doomed general entrusts his wife with the family mace, and their son Qin Qiong grows up to fight among rebel kings.
Challenging2–5 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
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In short
What would you do if your father told your mother to preserve the family mace and keep you alive as your city fell? That is how The Story of Tang begins.
The Story of Tang at a glance
- Reading time
- About 11 h 15 min8 h 55 min fast, 13 h 20 min slow
- Length
- 160,500 words
- Library level
- Challenging long sentences, a rich vocabulary
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A loyal general falls and his son lives
The story opens in the north, where the Zhou ruler sends Yang Zhong and his brother Yang Lin against Northern Qi. Yang Lin is a pale giant who swings two heavy Dragon-Subduing Rods. He takes every city in his path. At Jinan the defender is Qin Yi, whose own father has already died holding another city. A chancellor named Gao Agu begs him to surrender.
Qin Yi refuses. He tells his wife, Lady Ning, that his family has served the state for generations and that he cannot save his own skin. He asks her to keep their son Taipinglang safe and to guard the gold-mounted family mace. Then Gao Agu opens the gates anyway. Qin Yi rides out with a few hundred men, and Yang Lin cuts him down.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 2 h 20 min
- Level
- Challenging
Cite this edition
Luo, Guanzhong. The Story of Tang. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-tang.
Luo, G. (2026). The story of Tang. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-tang
Luo, Guanzhong. The Story of Tang. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-tang.
@book{luo2026story,
author = {Luo, Guanzhong},
title = {The Story of Tang},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-story-of-tang}
}
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What is The Story of Tang about?
It follows the fall of the Sui dynasty and the rise of the Tang. Heroes such as Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong gather around the young Qin Prince while rebel kings and a scheming emperor tear the land apart.
Is The Story of Tang a true story?
It blends real people and events, such as Emperor Yang of Sui and Li Yuan of Tang, with legends, dreams and invented duels. It is a historical novel told like a storyteller's performance, so history and fiction stand side by side.
Who is Qin Qiong in The Story of Tang?
Qin Qiong, also called Shubao, is the son of a loyal general who died defending Jinan. He becomes a constable, saves Li Yuan on Mount Lintong and grows into a leading commander of the Tang cause.
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